What is a key goal of compliance assessments in TOGAF?

In TOGAF, a key goal of compliance assessments is to ensure that the architecture aligns with external regulations and standards. This alignment is crucial because organizations must navigate a complex landscape of legal, industry, and regulatory requirements to operate effectively and avoid penalties.

Compliance assessments validate that the proposed architecture adheres to these necessary guidelines, thereby ensuring that the organization maintains its integrity, protects its reputation, and fulfills its legal obligations. This process goes beyond merely identifying errors; it focuses on evaluating the architecture in the context of regulatory compliance from the outset, which can significantly mitigate risks associated with non-compliance.

Addressing this aspect early in the architecture development ensures that the final outputs are compliant, ultimately saving time and resources during implementation, rather than having to revisit and rework aspects of the architecture at a later stage. Consequently, the goal of aligning with external regulations encompasses not just error detection, but a comprehensive view of ensuring that architecture complies with relevant standards and laws, making the option that emphasizes this alignment the most appropriate answer.